Species: Lepophidium aporrhox, Dusky cusk-eel

Lepophidium aporrhox Robins, 1961

Dusky cusk-eel

Elongate, eel-like, tapering at rear to a point at tail; head low, compressed; snout with well developed, curved spine at front, no fringes under tip; eye large; mouth large, broad, nearly horizontal; teeth on jaws small, simple, in bands, outer ones larger; no tooth patch at lower front of gill arches; gill rakers – upper arm with 3 (2-5) rudiments, lower arm with 6-7 (5-7) developed rakers (with a rudiment between each of those) then 5-6 rudiments below, total 17-22 rakers; dorsal and anal fins low, confluent with tail; dorsal fin 106-115; anal fin 92-100; pectorals on midside, 21-23 (20-23); pelvics each of two small threads inserted under eye; scales round, small, in regular overlapping rows; head extensively covered with overlapping scales extending to between or before eyes, on cheeks and opercle; lateral line complete.

Yellow brown above, grading to white below; gill arches and gullet black; front of mouth pale; edges of dorsal and anal fins black.

Reaches 19.3 cm.

On soft bottoms.

Depth range: 46-186  m.

Honduras to Suriname.